Ashley River Historic District, Historic district and National Treasure along Ashley River, South Carolina.

The Ashley River Historic District covers 23,828.26 acres west of the Ashley in South Carolina's Lowcountry, split almost equally between Charleston and Dorchester counties. It takes in dry land, swamps and marshes of the Rantowles Creek and Stono Swamp watershed, and holds Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Middleton Place, Old Dorchester and Fort Bull.

The area was settled starting in the late 1600s by European colonists who fundamentally changed the landscape through plantation agriculture. These early years shaped the region's development through to the present day.

The river served as the center of plantation life and shaped generations of residents on both sides of the water. These places still tell the story today of the people who lived and worked there through their homes and the landscape they shaped.

The area can be explored on foot or by car, with various access points available along roads and from the river. Information and maps are available through local visitor centers to help find individual sites easily.

The district's boundary grew from 7,000 acres to 23,828.26 acres on October 22, 2010, when the National Register listing was expanded. Among its contributing properties are Fort Bull, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Trestle and the Runnymeade Schoolhouse, alongside Drayton Hall and Middleton Place, both National Historic Landmarks.